Work Exchange Scheme

You can consider applying for Work Exchange Scheme approval if you wish to arrange short-term work opportunities in New Zealand and overseas as part of a reciprocal arrangement. People from overseas who have been accepted into an approved work exchange scheme can work for up to 12 months in New Zealand. If your scheme allows it, they can apply to bring partners and dependent children with them too.

Valid for

12 months

Cost

From

NZD $0

Processing times

80% within

3 weeks

With this scheme you can

Employ or arrange the employment of overseas workers for up to 12 months
Arrange work opportunities for New Zealanders in other countries.
Have the opportunity to improve international goodwill and cultural understanding between participating countries.

Things to note

The New Zealand guarantor is responsible for arranging suitable accommodation and a job for the people taking part in the scheme – they have to do this before they arrive in New Zealand.
The New Zealand guarantor must make sure the people taking part in the scheme can cover living costs, like food, clothing and healthcare.

Work Exchange Scheme

Overview

Establish a work exchange scheme

Support a work visa application

Maintain your work exchange approval

Establish a work exchange scheme

To set up a Work Exchange Scheme, you must provide a proposal to Immigration New Zealand. Your proposal will need to include all of the information detailed below.

View All Evidence

Organisers and scheme guarantors

Your proposal must include information about the organisers and scheme guarantors

Your proposal must include the names of:

the organiser
the New Zealand guarantor
the overseas guarantor.

Your proposal must also include a written guarantee from the New Zealand guarantor agreeing to accept all of the following obligations:

help to choose the New Zealanders who will take part in the scheme
report the number of people who take part in the scheme over the next 24 months to Immigration New Zealand
agree to be the point of contact for any communication between the scheme organisers, the people taking part in the scheme, and Immigration New Zealand
arrange suitable accommodation for people taking part in the scheme before they arrive in New Zealand
make sure people taking part in the scheme have the means to cover living costs, like food, health and clothing
arrange jobs for people taking part in the scheme before they arrive in New Zealand.

Tips

Exchange schemes must have a New Zealand and overseas guarantor. Guarantors:

are responsible for the welfare of the people who take part in the scheme
can be a person or organisation
if the scheme’s been organised in New Zealand, are usually the organisers.

Participating countries

Your proposal must include information about participating countries

You must:

list the countries the people taking part in the scheme will come from
confirm the participating countries are willing to grant New Zealanders reciprocal permission to take part in the scheme.

Tips

Schemes must be reciprocal between New Zealand and other countries and offer equal opportunity for each country to take part.

Eligible participants

Your proposal must include information about eligible participants

You must explain:

the criteria a person will need to meet to take part in the scheme, like being in a certain age group, from a particular country, or able to work in a specific occupation
whether you will allow people taking part in the scheme to bring their partner and children with them.

Accommodation

Your proposal must include information about accommodation

You must provide information about where people taking part in the scheme will stay while in New Zealand.

Tips

If people taking part in the scheme are allowed to bring their partners and children, the accommodation must be suitable for them too.

Employment and maintenance

Your proposal must include information about employment and maintenance

You must explain how the people taking part in the scheme will support themselves while in New Zealand, including:

the employment you’ll be offering, including a sample employment agreement
how you intend to pay the people who will be taking part in the scheme for their work
whether the people taking part in the scheme will need to cover any part of their own, and their partner’s and children’s living costs.

Tips

Employment agreements must comply with New Zealand immigration and employment law.

Medical insurance

Your proposal must include information about medical insurance

People who take part in work exchange schemes must have medical and dental insurance while they’re in New Zealand. If they choose to bring their partner or children with them, they’ll need medical and dental insurance too.

Your proposal must include detailed information about the medical and dental insurance they’ll be covered by.

Length of the exchange

Your proposal must include information about the length of the exchange

You must explain how much time people will be able to spend on your exchange.

If the time can vary, you must explain the minimum and maximum times that you will offer.

Tips

People accepted into approved work exchange schemes can stay in New Zealand for up to 12 months.

Expected annual numbers

Your proposal must include information about expected annual numbers

You must tell us how many places you’d like your exchange scheme to have.

Tips

New Zealanders and people from other countries should take part in equal numbers.

Travel arrangements

Your proposal must include information about travel arrangements

You must explain how people taking part in the scheme will travel to and from New Zealand. If they choose to bring their partner or children with them, you’ll need to explain their travel to arrangements too.

If participants won’t have return travel tickets when they apply for their visas, we’ll need a written guarantee from the New Zealand guarantor that they’ll have travel tickets at the end of their stay.

Tips

Guarantees must cover any partners and children, and applies even if participants don’t complete the exchange.

Selection of participants

Your proposal must include information about selection of participants

You must explain how you will choose who takes part in the scheme.

If there’s an application form for your scheme, include a copy with your proposal.

Other information

Your proposal may include other information

If you wish, you can include extra information about your exchange scheme.

How to apply

The information below will help you understand the process, timeframes and costs involved in applying for the scheme, so you can plan ahead and have the best chance of submitting a complete proposal.

1

Send us a proposal about your work exchange scheme

You must send us a proposal that includes all the information detailed in the criteria for this scheme.

Once you have completed your proposal, you must send it to us for approval:

Work Exchange Scheme Approval
Operations Support, Visa Services
Immigration New Zealand
PO Box 1473
Wellington 6140
New Zealand

Immigration costs

Application cost – There is no fee for re-approving work exchange schemes.

2

Wait for a decision about your proposal

When we assess your proposal We look at all the information you have provided from the criteria above.

We may ask you for more information, if It is needed to make a decision about your work exchange scheme.

If we approve your proposal, your scheme approval will be valid for 12 months.

Timeframes - Processing

80% within 3 weeks

80% of applications are currently completed within this time.

3

People accepted into your scheme apply for work visas

The people you accept into your work exchange scheme must apply for a work visa before they can come to New Zealand. To do this, they’ll need to complete a ‘Work Visa Application’ and provide evidence they have:

been accepted into an approved work exchange scheme
medical and dental insurance
arranged to leave New Zealand at the end of the stay, which can include travel tickets, or a written guarantee from the New Zealand guarantor.

Work Visa Guide (INZ 1016) - A guide for applying for a work visa PDF 505KB
Work Visa Application (INZ 1015) PDF 616KB

4

Wait for a decision on visas

Once we grant the work visas, the people taking part in the scheme can travel to New Zealand to begin their exchange.

Support a work visa application

Once we’ve approved your work exchange scheme, you can support the Work Exchange Work Visa applications of the people you’ve accepted into your scheme.

View All Evidence

Acceptance to an approved work exchange scheme

The person applying for a visa must have been accepted into an approved work exchange scheme

A letter from you confirming they’ve been accepted into your approved work exchange scheme.

Travel arrangements

The person taking part in the scheme must have arranged to leave New Zealand at the end of their exchange

When applying for a work visa, people must provide evidence they have either:

a ticket out of New Zealand
a guarantee from your work exchange scheme’s New Zealand guarantor that even if they don’t complete the exchange, they’ll have a travel ticket out of New Zealand at the end of their stay.

Process steps

1

Candidate applies for a visa

been accepted into an approved work exchange scheme
medical and dental insurance
arranged to leave New Zealand at the end of the stay, which can include travel tickets, or a written guarantee from the New Zealand guarantor.

Work Visa Guide (INZ 1016) - A guide for applying for a work visa PDF 505KB
Work Visa Application (INZ 1015) PDF 616KB

2

Wait for a decision

We make a decision about your candidate’s application as soon as we can.

Timeframes - Processing

80% within 5 weeks

80% of applications are currently completed within this time.

3

Employee starts work

As soon as your candidate has been granted a visa, they can come to New Zealand and start work.

Preparing for your migrant staff

Maintain your work exchange approval

If you want your work exchange to continue, you’ll need to request re-approval yearly. You’ll need to confirm that the information from your initial proposal is still correct and include information about the number of people who have taken part in the scheme in the last 12-24 months.

What you need to do

For your work exchange scheme to continue, you must request re-approval yearly

You must provide a written statement confirming that all the information from your first proposal is still correct, including information about:

Organisers and scheme guarantors
Participating countries
Eligible participants
Accommodation
Employment and maintenance
Medical insurance
Length of the exchange
Expected annual numbers
Travel arrangements
Selection of participants
Other information.

If anything has changed, you’ll need to include information about the changes with your request.

You’ll also provide information about the number of people who have taken part in the scheme in the last 12 - 24 months.

Note

Work Exchange schemes are approved for 12 months.
It’s a good idea to request re-approval at least 3 months before the previous approval expires.
There is no fee for re-approving a work exchange scheme.

Reapproval steps

Steps to request re-approval.

1

Send us your written statement

You send us your written statement confirming all information is still correct.

Work Exchange Scheme Approval
Operations Support, Visa Services
Immigration New Zealand
PO Box 1473
Wellington 6140
New Zealand

Immigration costs

Application cost – There is no fee for re-approving work exchange schemes.

2

We assess your statement

When we assess your statement We look at all the information you have provided from the criteria above.

We may ask you for more information, if It is needed to make a decision about your work exchange scheme.

If we approve your proposal, your scheme approval will be valid for 12 months.

Timeframes - Processing

80% within 3 weeks

80% of applications are currently completed within this time.

3

Continue to accept people into your scheme

been accepted into an approved work exchange scheme
medical and dental insurance
arranged to leave New Zealand at the end of the stay, which can include travel tickets, or a written guarantee from the New Zealand guarantor.

Work Visa Guide (INZ 1016) - A guide for applying for a work visa PDF 505KB
Work Visa Application (INZ 1015) PDF 616KB

Valid for

Cost

Processing times

Work Exchange Scheme

Overview

Establish a work exchange scheme

Support a work visa application

Maintain your work exchange approval

Establish a work exchange scheme

View All Evidence

Organisers and scheme guarantors

Participating countries

Eligible participants

Accommodation

Employment and maintenance

Medical insurance

Length of the exchange

Expected annual numbers

Travel arrangements

Selection of participants

Other information

How to apply

1 Send us a proposal about your work exchange scheme

Immigration costs

2 Wait for a decision about your proposal

Timeframes - Processing

3 People accepted into your scheme apply for work visas

4 Wait for a decision on visas

Support a work visa application

View All Evidence

Acceptance to an approved work exchange scheme

Travel arrangements

Process steps

1 Candidate applies for a visa

2 Wait for a decision

Timeframes - Processing

3 Employee starts work

Maintain your work exchange approval

What you need to do

For your work exchange scheme to continue, you must request re-approval yearly

Reapproval steps

1 Send us your written statement

Immigration costs

2 We assess your statement

Timeframes - Processing

3 Continue to accept people into your scheme

1

Send us a proposal about your work exchange scheme

2

Wait for a decision about your proposal

3

People accepted into your scheme apply for work visas

4

Wait for a decision on visas

1

Candidate applies for a visa

2

Wait for a decision

3

Employee starts work

1

Send us your written statement

2

We assess your statement

3

Continue to accept people into your scheme